It’s a reminder of vitality, of becoming active after a dormant season, so maybe you join a gym or take up jogging.

It’s a time to shake things up, a season of drastic change, so maybe you clean out your closet and donate clothing to Goodwill or sell it on eBay for some extra dough.

It’s a time to wake up the body and spirit, so maybe you do a juice cleanse or yoga immersion (the latter’s what I did!)

It’s a time to clear out the cobwebs, shake out the rugs, clean the curtains, so maybe it’s time for a new Spring cleaning routine.

If that’s the case, here are a few tips to brighten your home without harming your health:

Keep it simple
Just a few key ingredients are enough to clean your whole house: vinegar, lemon, baking soda, borax, and soap. Some great recipes available here.

Read the labels
If there’s a precaution, warning, or other such exclamatory phrase on the back of the bottle, think twice about shining up the counters or mopping the floor with it. You have to breathe the air in your home, ya know!

Use your senses
Do you get a headache after cleaning the bathroom? It could be the products you’re using to clean, as well as poor ventilation. See the first tip for less toxic cleaning materials.

Learn more!
Next month (May), I’ll be leading a workshop (the first in a series!) to help you identify household products that may be doing more harm than good. Stay tuned, full details coming soon!